Using a real-time cell analyzer (RTCA), we found that primary CD8+ T cells purified from the PBMCs of patients with CHB treated with IL-2 for 24 weeks caused cell death in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line PLC/PRF/5 more efficiently than the CD8+ T cells of patients who were not subjected to IL-2 therapy. Here, CD8A is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.